Coca-Cola has been identified by the Government of Madhya Pradesh to help drive the growth of the food processing sector in the state.

With a committed investment of Rs. 750 crore for a state of the art greenfield plant at Hoshangabad, the Company is moving ahead with its plans rapidly. The industrial area identified by Madhya Pradesh Audyogik Kendra Vikas Nigam (AKVN) will be developed, operated and maintained by Hindustan Coca-Cola for 15 years.

AKVN is making external infrastructure like road, power and water available to the plots, where all industries are being set up. When commissioned, this factory will provide direct and indirect employment to more than 1,500 people.

For now engineers of Hindustan Coca-Cola and its partners are busy designing the layout and operational details for the factory to be built. They are also planning for those extra resources that will ensure that the factory will be a ‘zero discharge unit’ in keeping with the guidelines of the state government.

Agriculture is the mainstate of the state economy. According to experts, Madhya Pradesh will need to see that the share of agriculture, currently around 45 per cent of the GSDP, goes below 30 per cent over the next few years.

In an article in Swarjyamag.com, Aashish Chandorkar, a management consultant based in Pune, argued that for Madhya Pradesh to be the breakout state of India, “the state should immediately focus on food-processing related industries.”

If Madhya Pradesh were to be an independent nation, its estimated gross state domestic product (GSDP) of $106 billion for 2016-17, would make it the 60th largest economy in the world. Despite this, it is primarily a one trick pony, depending on agriculture for employment and sustenance. The Madhya Pradesh Government has been courting manufacturing and service industries to ensure that per capita income of its people rises and there is sufficient employment generated.

The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola system in India is comprised of Coca-Cola India Pvt. Ltd. (CCIPL), the concentrate manufacturing entity and 15 authorised bottlers of The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC), which are responsible for the production of ready-to-drink, non-alcoholic beverages under the Trademarks of TCCC, their distribution and sale in the territory of India. The system also comprises the India branch office of Coca-Cola India Inc., which provides guidance in relation to development of business in India.